Chefs' Holiday Favorites

No matter your background and whether or not you believe in the man in the red suit and his industrious elves, it's hard to deny that there's is something magical about the month between Thanksgiving in New Year's — or at least about the season’s eatings. With that in mind, we asked great chefs from coast to coast to share their favorite holiday recipes. —Sarah Karnasiewicz

New York City: Marcus Samuelsson

“In Sweden, where I grew up, the holiday season has its own smell — of gingersnaps, fish being pickled and, of course, mulled wine, or gloegg, which every family always keeps simmering on the stove. Those smells still really transport me, and I make a point to always have gloegg on the menu of my restaurants in November and December."

South Carolina: Nathalie Dupree

"Because oranges, particularly Florida oranges, don't really ripen until December, my parents would always get a bunch of them shipped up to our house as a Christmas gift. We'd juice them for breakfast and cook with them, and Christmas morning there was always one in the toe of my stocking, along with fresh pecans in the shell. There are still always oranges on my holiday table."

Tennessee: Sam Beall

"We use pumpkins in our Blackberry Farm kitchens all throughout the fall and winter — in soup, purées, salads and lots more. The chefs' favorite cooking pumpkin is called the Kentucky Field pumpkin. It's an old type that is light tan and stands up to storage really well."

Florida: Hedy Goldsmith

“The first night of Hanukkah was always special in my family. We'd light candles and get the foil-wrapped chocolate coins and have a big dinner. But though we were Jewish, I grew up in a neighborhood in Philadelphia where I was fortunate to be exposed to lots of different cultures. As a teen I had a very good Italian friend. On Christmas we’d go to midnight mass and feast on panforte and pignoli cookies and biscotti."

Oregon: Jenn Louis

"Because winter in the Pacific Northwest is prime season for seafood, a great way to celebrate is with a crab boil. Put out some butter, some truffle salt and a salad; spread out newspapers and hand out wet towels — and just let everyone talk and laugh and get messy together."

New York City: Aaron Sanchez

"I think the ultimate side dish is bean and squash picadillo — I use fresh cranberry beans and pumpkin and add my special chipotle sauce to thicken the broth. You could substitute celery root or parsnips or turnips for the squash — the dish is so versatile and seasonal and goes great with all kinds of roasts."

New York City: Michael White

"I grew up in Wisconsin in a Norwegian family, but my wife is from Italy, and like the Italians, we do a feast of fish on Christmas Eve. On Christmas Day we make a roast. One of my favorite recipes is roast pork with rosemary and potatoes and a stewed fruit sauce — it's so adaptable, in the late summer you can make it with peaches or in the fall you can substitute apples or pears."

New York City: Noah Bernamoff

"In my opinion, Hanukkah isn't complete without latkes and applesauce. I remember growing up how our house would reek of oil and my mom would be running around the kitchen with the windows open — this was December in Montreal! — and fanning her dishtowel to get the smoke out. When I got older she started making us sweet potato latkes because she thought they were healthier, though I don’t know if there is such a thing as a healthy latke!"